Electrical system for vehicles



y 6, 1941- J. WHITE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR do: lA/H/TE May 6, 1941. J. WHITE ELECTRTCAL SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. '7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 94 Ma" Q INVENTOR I j /64 do: Wv/ r5 BY w I 9 x q' J \7 To TRA -5 p- [M lag {44 ATTORNEYA A Patented May 6, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES Joe White, Anderson, Ind., assignmto General tion of Delaware 4 Claims.

This invention relates to electrical signalling systems for automotive vehicles and more particularly to signalling systems including horns and other audible warning devices. 1

It is primarily the object of this invention to prevent the operation of the signalling device while the automobile is at rest. This is done to prevent the unnecessary and nuisance use of an automobile horn while the vehicle is standing at the curb. Obviously unnecessary draining of the storage battery is prevented.

In the disclosed embodiment of the present invention this object is obtained by the use of an automatic switch while it is responsive to the motion of the vehicle. This switch is open while the vehicle is at rest and closes automatically when the vehicle is in motion. When the vehicle is in motion this automatic switch conditions a relay which becomes effective to connect the source of current with the warning signal or automobile horn in case the usual push button is pressed. When the vehicle is stationary the automatic switch is open and the relay is not conditioned to connect the current source with the automobile horn, although the push button switch may be closed.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from .the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

l is a diagrar niatic plan view of the chassis of an automobile showing various parts of the system including the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a vehicle motion responsive switch which is responsive to the vi tion. being taken on the lines 2-2 of Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the vehicle vibration responsive switch, this section being taken on the line oi Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the vehicle vibration responsive switch shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the cover being shown in section.

Fig. 5 is wiring diagram showing diagrammatically the vehicle vibration responsive switch oi 2, 2i and applied to the control of a le warning signal such as an automobile nilar that shown 1 responsive switch switch which ..le the vehicle is in Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corpora- Application February 7. ms, Serial No. 189,118

bratiohs of the vehicle while in. motion, this sec- Referring first to Fig. 5, 20 designates a storage battery grounded at 2| and connected by a wire 22 with a terminal 23. Terminal 23 is connected with an armature 24 carrying a contact 25 on its lower side and contact 25 on its upper side. Contact 26 normally engages the contact 21 connected by wire 28 with a terminal 29. Contact 25 is engageable with a contact 30 connected by a wire 3| with an automobile horn 32, grounded at 33. Obviously the horn 32 will be connected with the battery 20 by the engagement of the contacts 25 and'30. Such engagement, however, will not occur unless the push-button of a controller switch is closed and the vehicle is in motion.

The manually operated push button or controller switch is indicated at 40 and has one of its terminals grounded at ll and the other connected by wire 2 with a magnet coil 43 of relatively large number of turns of fine wire and a magnet coil 44 of relatively few turns of coarse wire. Both magnet coils are wound upon the same core 45 and effect the attraction of an armature 48 carrying contact 41 into engagement with the contact 48 connected with the winding 44 thereby providing a by-pass relay.

Armature 46 is connected with magnet coil 50 surrounding core 5! which attracts the armature 24 when the winding 50 is energized. These elements act as a horn connecting relay.

The automatic or vehicle vibration responsive switch comprises three leaf-spring members BI, 52 and G3. The members iii and 63 are fixed at one end and are connected with a terminal 64 which is connected by wire 65 with the magnet coil 43. Leaf-spring member 62 is fixed at one end and is connected with the terminal 29. Mem ber 62 carries contacts 61 and 68 engageable respectively with contacts 69 and 10 carried respectively by the leaf-spring members SI and 63. Member 62 carries a weight 12 at its free end. Member 62 is located on the vehicle so that it occupies generally a. horizontal plane; therefore 5 its free end carrying the weight i2 moves sub are normally open.

stantially vertically. Member 52 is sumciently stiff normally to maintain contacts El and 68 out of engagement with contacts 89 and it while the vehicle is at rest.

While the vehicle is at rest the battery 21% can not be connected with the horn by closing the switch because contacts ti and Winch would connect magnet cod with the battery to are normally open, and contacts and which. would connect coil with the battery the leaf-spring member or reed 8! of the vehicle vibration responsive switch is sumciently sensitive'to respond to even light vibrations of l the vehicle; therefore, when the vehicle is in motion. the weight 12 will be vibrating vertically, thereby causing contact 80 to engage contact I! or contact 81 to engage contact 6!. Whenever this occurs and switch 40 is closed, current will flow from the battery to the magnet winding 43 through the following circuit: battery 20, wire 22, terminal 23, armature 2|, contact 26, contact 21, wire 28. terminal 2!, reed 62, contacts 01, 69 or ll. ll, leaf spring ii or N, terminal 64, wire I, magnet winding ll, wire ll, switch I and ground connections 4| and II. The vibration responsive switch therefore automatically conditions the signal circuit for completion by the control switch.

Magnet coil 03 being energized, armature 40 will be attracted toward core ll, thereby effecting the closing of contacts 41 and II. when this occurs magnet coil 44 will be connected with the contact 2! through the following circuit: battery II, wire 2!, terminal 23, magnet coil I, armature IO, contact l1, contact ll, winding 64, wire it, switch I and ground connections ll and II. Thereafter, so long as the switch is closed. contacts 41 and II will remain closed regardless of the fact that contacts 81 and I of the vehicle motion responsive switch are vibrating between, andareaiternateiyengagingswitchcontactsfl andllthereof. Itisapparentthat coil flisan energizing coil which attracts the armature ll into contact-making position, and that coil II is a which holds these contacts in engagemmtregardlessofthestatusofthecoil ll. Thusinusingtherelaywiththeeoilsll and,thehcanclrcuitisflrstclosedandthen held closed continuously during the period that the switch I. is held closed manually. That avoids the obiecticn'that would follow if dependence were placed on the contacts 61, I or "-4. of the vibration responsive switch, which close but intermittently, and not dependable alone for the horn blowing function.

As stated before, when contacts (I and l! are closed. current flows from the battery through the winding II. This effects the attraction of the armature 24 toward the core I, thereby effecting the closing of contacts 2! and III which cause the horn I! to be directly connected with the battery II. While contacts 25 and II are closed, contacts 28 and 21 are separated and the circuit of the automatic vehicle vibration switch is opened resulting in complete deenergizaticn of relay winding 43. When once the circuit has been conditioned for establishment of connections between the battery 20 and horn I! by the closing of switch I, the circuit remains conditioned as long as switch ll remains closed regardless of the status of the automatic switch. Obviously when the operator releases the button switch ll, all of the relay windings ll, II and I will be de-energized since their circuits depend upon the closing of the switch ll for connection with the battery. Thus it is apparent that the horn cannot be sounded except while the vehicle'is in motion; and the nuisance use of the horn and unnecessary draining of the storage battery is prevented. By incorporating a control system of that character the unnecessary and nuisance effect caused by loud and long blowing of automobile horns while the vehicle is standing at the curb, such as occurs in Halloween pranks, or with callers who driv up to the curb and thoughtlessly or for want of courtesy start blowing their born for the house occupants to come out, is eliminated. This system of control automatically limits the use of the automobile horn to that for which it was originally designed, namely a signalling or warning device for a moving vehicle.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the details of the automatic circuit conditioning switch in the form of the vehicle vibration responsive switch will be described. This switch includes a base or frame which is located generally in a horizontal plane. At each end thereof the base is provided with downwardly extending legs 8|, each having a notch 82 of cylindrical contour and of such dimensions as to conform to the exterior surface of the rear axle housing 83 of the vehicle (see Fig. 1).. The base I. is provided with obiiquely downwardly extending ears 8 to which the ends of a strap ii are connected by rivets II. The strap it passes around the housing I! in the well known manner (not shown) in order to clamp the legs ll of the bracket or frame ll firmly against the exterior surface of the axle housing II.

The base ll supports a nonconducting plate ll upon its upper surface. Plate ll carries a stack of metallic and nonconducting parts comprising a metal plate ii, the leaf-spring member 83, a metal spacer If, a nonconducting spacer II, a metal spacer ll, leaf-spring member If, nonconducting spacer II, metal spacer 96 and leaf-spring member ll. Rivets I! are insulated from the contacts 82 by nonconducting sleeve or bushing, 08 which passes through the stack memhers l2, B, M, 02, I and It. The plate II and the plate ll are secured to the base 8| by rivets II which also 11!, to the underside of the base 80, a non-conducting plate ill and a metal plate III to which the terminal screw it is attached and which connects the wire I. Rivets l9 and the screw N do not touch the base II. The plate ill, rivets It, plate II and rivets 81 provide an electrical path between the terminal El and the contact members ii and 63.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3. it will be seen that the central leaf spring member or reed 62 is in contact with the plate 54. This plate 84 carries a strap or extension I secured by rivets I05 to the base I. (see Fig. 4), said rivets I05 passing through the plate 90, the base 80, the plate Hill and a metal plate I06 (see Fig. 3) into which the terminal screw 29 is threaded.

The switch parts are enclosed by a cover HI, having its flange ill shaped to fit around the nonconducting plate with a rubber sealing gasket H2 between them. 'The cover III is held in position by bale I IS, the ends i ll of which are received by holes H5 in the legs II of the base ll.

The vehicle vibration responsive switch is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1 as being mounted upon the rear axle housing 81 oi the automobile, the chassis of which is indicated generally by numeral IZO. Obviously the representation of this engine is purely diagrammatic. It will be understood that, as actually installed, the reed 62 will be located in a horizontal plane so that the weight '12 vibrates vertically. The other parts of the system are indicated by the some reference numerals as applied to Fl Fig. 1, however, shows an additional which. is known as the countrg drivim lit tit upon the closing of an air switch I30, the vane or paddle of which is located in a current of air represented by arrows I3I induced by the rotation of the engine cooling fan I33. When the speed of rotation of this fan exceeds a certain amount, the air switch I30 will be closed so that th country-driving horn I32 will be sounded along with the city-driving horn 32 when the switch III is closed.

The wiring diagram shown in Fig. 6 is the same as that shown in Fig. 5, with the exception that a vehicle motion responsive, centrifugal switch as a circuit conditioning means replaces the vehicle motion responsive, vibratory switch. This centrifugal switch comprises a stationary cupshaped housing I50, closed by cover ll, which insulatingly supports terminals I52 and I53 to which wires 55 and 28 are respectively connected. Terminals I52 and I53 carry brushes I54 and I55 respectively, engageable respectively with commutating rings I56 and I51 carried by a nonconducting block I58. Block I58 is bonded to the knurled portion I59 01 a shaft I60 which may form a part of the shaft connections between the automobile transmission and speedometer. Block I55 carries a mercury switch which includes a small glass vessel IGI containing mercury I82.

This vessel I5I is inclined so that the mercury I5! is normally in its lower end and not in contact withswitch points I64 and I65. Point I is connected by wire I64a with commutating ring I55. Point I55 is connected by wire I65a with commutating ring I51. When the speed of rotation of the shaft I50 exceeds a certain amount, which is relatively small, the mercury I52 will move outwardly from its location shown in Fig.

, 6 and occupy the upper end or the vessel IBI,

thereby causing contact points I64 and I65 to be connected. This effects the same condition of the control circuits as are effected by the closing or contacts 61, 69 and 88, 80 described with reference to Fig. 5. That is, when the vehicle attains even a relatively low speed the circuit is conditioned so that the vehicle horn 52 can be operated by closing the push-button switch 40.

While the embodiment oi the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A system of horn control for a moving vehicle while in service, comprising in combination a horn for sounding a signal audible to persons in the proximate path of a moving vehicle, a battery, means for connecting the horn with the battery and including a manual switch with normally open contacts for sounding the audible signal at will during vehicle movement, and a relay having an operating coil and a holding coil, means serially connecting the, operation coil, the manual switch, battery, and an automobile switch having normally open contacts, and means to momentarily close the contacts in response to vibration due to continued movement oi. the vehicle, said relay having normally open contacts adapted to be closed upon momentary energize.- tion of the operating coil, a circuit serially connecting said contacts, said horn, said battery, said holding coil and said manual switch so that contacts are maintained closed, by the hold a ii for "tie horn with battery, whereas the engagement of the con tacts of the; automatic switch responsive to movement of tbie vehicle and the closing of manual switch efiect closing of the relay contacts in another circuit to caus the sounding of the horn.

2. A system of horn control for a moving vehicle, comprising in x combination, a horn for sounding an audibl signal of a motor vehicle, a battery, means for connecting the horn with the battery including a manual switch for controlling the audible signal at will, and a by-pass relay having an operating coil and a holding coil in parallel, said by-pass relay having a pair of normally open engageable contacts serially connected with the holding coil and the battery and having its operating coil connected in a control circuit parallel with the holding coil, means preparing the by-pass relay for actuation by the manual switch, comprising an oscillatory momentum device including a pair of relatively fixed contacts connected together and serially with the operating coil of the by-pass relay, and a relatively movable contact normally out of engagement but adapted to engage one or another of the fixed contacts, and normally having a direct connection with the battery, and means sensitive to vibration due to continued movement of the vehicle in motion, and operable to momentarily engage the movable contact with one of the fixed contacts, whereby operation of the manual switch while the contacts of the momentum device are closed will connect the operating coil of the bypass relay to the battery through the oscillatory momentum device, the holding coil of the by-pass' relay then being connected with the battery and resulting in the horn being directly connected to the battery so long as the manual switch remains closed.

3. In a trafilc warning signal, a system of horn control for sounding an audible signal to persons in the proximate path of vehicle movement, comprising in combination, an automobile horn, a battery for energizing the horn, a manually operated switch with normally open contacts for controlling the signal at will, and means including a normally open switch with means to mo- -mentarily close the same in response to vibration due to continued movement of the vehicle for completing a circuit between the manual switch and battery when the manual switch is closed, whereby an audible signal may be sounded while the vehicle is moving over the roadway, but may not be sounded while the vehicle is standing still.

4. In a traffic warning signal, a system of horn control for sounding an audible signal to persons in the proximate path of vehicle movement, comprising in combination, an automobile horn, a battery for energizing the horn, a manually op- -erated switch with normally open contacts for controlling the signal at will, a relay having an operating coil serially connected with the manual switch, and having a holding coil and normally open contacts shunted about the operating coil,

and means including a normally open switch with means to momentarily close the same in response to vibration due to continued movement of the vehicle for completing a circuit between the manual switch and battery when the manual switch is closed, said circuit including the operating coil of the relay, which, when energized effects closing of the relay contacts and energizes-=- tion of the holding cell for sounding of the audible signal only when the vehicle 

